What we missed in 2020
The best Photographs from our 2020 Photo Tours in Europe
(that never took place)
We had been so excited about our 10th year of offering Photo Tours in Europe and of course, like many of you, we have been forced to stay close to home. Our usual 4-months-long European journey has instead been replaced by daily walks in our neighborhood, growing a vegetable (“victory”) garden, long wonderful backpacking trips in the Cascade and Olympic Mountains in the fall, and more recently brisk days of downhill skiing at Stevens Pass, our local ski hill.
We have never spent so much time daydreaming of past experiences from our travels to some of the most stellar photographic locations in Europe.
We are hopeful for a return to more normalcy in the fall of 2021 with Photo Tours to the Cinque Terre, the Dolomites, Portugal, Slovenia & Croatia, Venice, and Tuscany.
We invite you to join us on our photo adventures when it is safe to travel again but in the meantime, we’d like to share some of our favorite images from our favorite locations in Europe. If we can’t travel physically, let’s travel mentally and visually.
If you’d like to see a slideshow with photography tips and listen to our commentary about some of the images below, check out our recent webinar organized by our Slow Travel Tours colleague, Kathy Wood from European Experiences.
The Czech Republic
We choose mid-April to visit the Czech Republic because of the lushness of the bright green rolling wheat fields and, if we’re lucky, golden fragrant canola in full bloom in Southern Moravia. This is also a good time of the year to visit magical Prague and romantic Ceský Krumlov with fewer tourists.
The Netherlands

The Netherlands was meant to be an exciting new photo tour offering in 2020. It was a big disappointment that we were not able to share this beautiful country with our tour clients but we look forward to returning in 2022. Again, we chose April for this photo tour to coincide with the amazing tulip blooms throughout the country, especially at the annual Keukenhof Gardens flower exhibit and the Beemster region north of Amsterdam.
The Cinque Terre
This would have been our 9th time leading tours to the Cinque Terre. We love the unique beauty of these five colorful fishing villages on the Ligurian coast and we look forward to returning in the fall of 2021.
Tuscany
Tuscany is very dear to our hearts as this was the first tour we conducted 10 years ago. With 4 courageous souls/clients, we launched Photography Travel Tours. Many thanks and gratitude to Frits, Stephanie, Cacky, and Ellen. The Val d Orcia region of Tuscany continues to be one of our favorite photographic locations in Europe, offering a plethora of amazing photo opportunities very near our 7-night home base in the charming medieval hill town of Pienza. We have a new offering this fall that includes the Chianti region to take advantage of the spectacular fall colors in the vineyards.
Venice

There really is no other place in the world that compares to Venice with its grandeur and crumbling charm. Yes, there are all those negative aspects that you may have experienced or heard of: Crowded, smelly, expensive, hot, buggy. We have encountered all of these at some point yet we still return year after year. Getting off the beaten paths and away from the tourist hordes allows us to discover delightful photo ops. And a 45-minute water bus ride to the north we photograph the over-the-top colorful village of Burano. Think Velvia film on steroids!
Slovenia & Croatia with a Pinch of Italy
This photo tour offers some of the most photogenic areas of Croatia: Rovinj on the Istrian Peninsula and the Plitvice Lakes National Park. And the Lake Bled area of Slovenia offers yet a different kind of wonderfully photogenic locations. Recently, we added a detour to the NE corner of Italy to the last day of this photo tour (hence “the pinch of Italy”). We ride a ski lift to the top of the charming alpine hamlet of Monte Lussari where we spend the night in an idyllic mountain hotel. We love the stellar views looking into Austria and Slovenia from the solitude of this amazing mountaintop perch.
Portugal
With 11 nights spent in various exciting locations in Portugual, this is the longest photo tour we offer and perhaps the most diverse. Porto, the Douro Valley, Aveiro, Obidos, and Lisbon are all places we love to visit and photograph. We choose mid-June for this tour to ensure the greenest green in the graphic vineyards of the Douro Valley.
The Italian Dolomites

We love the Italian Dolomites — majestic mountains, inviting valleys dotted with charming villages, wonderful alpine hotels and cuisine, and an amazing blend of Austrian and Italian culture. Because of the vast network of ski lifts, we easily reach stunning mountain tops. Plus, all these high altitude locations feature restaurants with local treats. Think savory alpine fare for lunch followed by the best apple strudel and cappuccino you’ve ever tasted.
Provence
Another diverse photo tour, with exciting photography locations, Provence offers vast lavender fields on the Valensole Plateau, charming French villages in the Luberon, and the white horses of the Camargue. We conduct this photo tour at the end of June to take advantage of the lavender and sunflowers in full bloom.
![]() They started Photography Travel Tours in 2011 with the goal of educating and guiding photographers to some of the most beautiful and iconic scenes in Europe. The tours are not just about getting great photographs but also have the side benefits of doing so in wonderful environments. Great food, wine, people, and ambiance. Read more about Jim & Magrit and their wonderful photo tours here: (http://photographytraveltours.com/about/). Slow Travel Tours is an affiliation of small-group tour operators who offer personalized trips in Italy, France and other European countries. |
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